New Year's Goals

Every year I make a list of resolutions and it lasts about 2 days...lol!

So this year I'm going with 17 "goals" that I want to achieve...

1. Read the Bible daily

(I struggle to fit this in my day...and it's only my own fault!  

I need to make it a priority and not a chore!)

2.  Go to physical therapy to fix my neck pain once and for all

(Started today and I have a way to go but I'm happy I started!)

3.  Work out every day

(hahahaha...but I do need to!)

4.  Eat more fruit and veggies

5.  Meal plan every week to avoid eating out

(We can save so much money as a family of 6 by doing this...and it's so much better for us.  I need to work on making sure I buy enough food which is challenging because some meals my kids devour and others they refuse to touch...and it's never consistent!)

6.  Drink more water

7.  Go to church at least 2X a month

8.  Save, save, save

(We have big life plans and we are wasting my husband's hard-earned money :).  I just need to be better about those impulse buys...Amazon Prime and Target are evil!)

9.  Read 50 books

(This is about double from this year and I really think it's doable.  As a child and teenager I raced through books, reading one or more a day.  Now TV, blogs, children, and life seem to get in the way.  BUT that can change!)

10.  Lose 20 pounds

(I'd love to say more but I'm trying to make this attainable!  We have plans for a camping vacation and a beach vacation so I'd like to fit better in my clothes.  This is all me...I love my husband for not caring...because I just need to feel better about myself.)

11.  Make year books for the kids and continue making their art books.

(I started the art books last year and now I just need to design them.  I want to make photo memory books but I'm not sure how I want them to exactly look.  We are too far past making one for each kid for each year - so maybe family year books and working backwards?)

12.  Spend more time one-on-one with each child

(This is a challenge...there are 4 of them...and they can be tough at times...but the years are going by so quickly I want to treasure the time we have together.)

13.  Focus more on doing than being on devises...oh, that's tough!

14.  Blog 5 days a week!!!!

(2 days and running!)

15.  Use a cleaning schedule with the kids

(I made cleaning cards for each main area of the house and we used them over the holiday.  They were amazing!  The kids did their best, didn't complain because there were no hidden tasks, and my job was so much less!)

16.  50 Bags in 50 Days for Lent

(I've done this is the past but skipped last year.  It's a great way to purge and streamline.)

17.  Make ME a priority

(I put everyone else before myself and I need to stop that...my health is suffering and my mental well-being is being challenged.  So this year I plan to take more breaks for myself and see it benefit everyone around me!)

A New Year and Christmas Recap

I've really fallen behind on this little old blog.  I love reading other's blogs and it often hits home that if those people didn't write, I'd have nothing to read, so it has inspired me to get back to writing about our life and adventures!

And what better place to start than with a little (or long!) holiday recap!

Our elf, Pogo, returned the day after Thanksgiving, as per the usual :).  Somehow he always finds us no matter where we are visiting relatives.  This year we were at Papa's and he left a belated (as in middle of the day) breakfast treat.

Then he appeared back at our house with his magical door, which is his portal to the North Pole and the big guy.

He (and his side-kick, Rudolf) had some fun with toys (and really irritated Bubba!)

He brought us a tree to decorate...and redecorate as often as we wanted!

And left us a sweet treasure hunt!

Bruiser Boy and I spent yet another night at the local children's hospital for his severe asthma.  All his latest outbreaks have led us to search for more answers...and to discover more issues.  But I'll save that for a post all its own :).

Meanwhile, Pogo got himself trapped.

I drove the middle schooler to school in Santa PJ pants...and luckily for her, I didn't have to get out of the car!

Bubba had his Christmas program at school and was a shy little shepherd, who was positioned right next to the teacher...I wonder why????  Lol!

And love this sweet little gift from my sweet little guy!

More elf shenanigans!

Christmas nails!

Hot cocoa, pjs, and Christmas lights!

Excited to open presents!

Christmas Eve gifts from their Auntie and Uncle...

Sweet little brother hugs...

Christmas Eve!

Playing in the Cry Room at church...very happy he made it through 1/2 the service before we had to escape!

Santa came!

Christmas morning at the top of the stairs!

Lightening McQueen Geo-Trac (consignment score!)

Celebrating Jesus' birthday!

PieFace!

Coffee break to recover on the day after...the struggle was real, folks!

Shrek Super Party...introduced the kids to the best video game ever :)

Christmas #2 with Papa!

Clearly, my sister knows me well!

A gift from Papa...love it!

And we rounded it all out with a low-key New Year's celebration.  The kids were in bed by 10, the in-laws by 11:30 and Mommy and Daddy shortly later :)

Now we are happily in a new year.  We spent some time swimming at the Y on New Year's Day, lots of time snuggling on the couch, and headed to bed nice and early.  Today will involve taking the tree down, preparing for the school week, groceries being delivered (hallelujah!), and making myself work out...it's a big must!  

Stay tuned for daily life updates, New Year's resolutions, our life verses, and our word for the year :)

Trades of Hope Facebook Party

My close friend introduced me to a great company helping women escape the slavery of sex trafficking and support themselves.  There is so much I could say, but the company says it so much better!!!  So please check out my Facebook party at the link Trades of Hope.  There is an amazing introduction video that explains it all!

Feel free to support these women and order yourselves some pretty accessories!

Mug Love Exchange

Nothing makes me think of fall and changes in the season than a warm mug of coffee :)...and fun mugs make it all the better!  As a mom with 4 kids needing to be in 44 different directions at any given time, a travel mug is my jam!  I feel like i'm always driving somewhere and needing some caffeine to keep me going!

So, when I saw the blogger mug exchange, I couldn't wait to connect with other writer moms...and when I was matched with Emily at Three Boys and a Girl, I knew were meant to "meet".  Emily loves travel mugs as much as me!  And without even trying, we even selected the same brand of mug for each other!  

I will admit that my crazy schedule led me to order off Amazon and ship right to Emily...so I didn't include any yummy treats like she did for me!  And let me tell you...those treats didn't last they day...yum!!!  Thank you for spoiling me, Emily!

How cute is this mug????  Love the fall colors and the cute box it came in :)